Generally any element heavier than iron releases more energy if you split it than it contains through nuclear binding. U-235 is somewhat unique however in that it releases more energy than is required to split it, and can sustain a chain reaction. If it wasn’t for the unusual properties of U-235, it’s likely we would not have any form of nuclear power today, controlled or uncontrolled. U-235 must be separated from its non-fisionable isotope U-238 (depleted uranium) before it can be usable as fuel. Plutonium is entirely man-made, due to its short half-life, and requires U-235 to make it (as a byproduct), but has similar properties. Nuclear fusion, on the other hand, releases energy when atoms are combined, not split. The nucear binding curve (google it) determines at what atomic weight atoms loose or gain energy as you split/combine them. The element iron happens to be the center point.
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Though I’m no expert on nuclear fission I would imagine that any atom can be split including Hydrogen (though then we would get into the components of protons and such which is above my pay grade). The question would be is it worthwile as far as yeild to do that.
I do know this. When we did our surface nuclear tests in Nevada it was pretty hard on sheep flocks in Utah. They were getting exposed to a radioactive form of Iodine (which was very bad) as well as a radioactive form of Ceisium (which gets mistaken for Calcium and stored in bones which is very bad long term). Niether of these elements are components of a standard atomic or thermonuclear weapon so they had to be created by the blast.
Good explanation in #15, though I’m wondering whether Pu-239 is more commonly made from U-235 or rather by a single neutron capture from U-238, and then two subsequent beta decays to make it Z=94?
In reading my own response I noticed that I errored. When I mentioned Ceisium I meant Strontium. May not mean much, but the reason that the radioactive Strontium is mistaken by the body as Calcium is based on being in the same column if the periodic table.
Nuclear fusion, on the other hand, releases energy when atoms are combined, not split.——————————————————Soooo, I wouldn’t necessarily need to use unstable elements like plutonium. I could probably attain nuclear by the use of two bananas or any structure of mass if I could control the magnetic forces of a manmade black hole couldn’t I ?